


Some Lords Are Born and Some Are Made

by lmao_thunder



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpha James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Alpha Natasha Romanov, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Also there's more characters to tag. I'm sorry for getting lazy lol, Anal Sex, Baby Peter Parker, Beta Pepper Potts, F/F, F/M, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, I hope you like this omg, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Bucky Barnes, Omega Tony Stark, SteveTonyXmas, secret santa gift, stevetonysecretsanta, warlord au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:07:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21993454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lmao_thunder/pseuds/lmao_thunder
Summary: Wherein Tony is Prince of Starkland and an Omega. Steve is the leader of Nomads, a pack intent of taking apart the Starkland Kingdom for the sake of the people, and an Alpha.Or the warlord omegaverse fic that I didn't know I needed to write until I did.
Relationships: Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau (mentioned), James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov (mentioned), Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 9
Kudos: 388





	Some Lords Are Born and Some Are Made

**Author's Note:**

> So I decided to finally try my hand at writing Stony. So here's my piece for the SteveTony Secret Santa 2019. This is for LaurenAnneJone1 who asked for a Warlord AU or Omegaverse. The moment I read your prompt I was like ohhh maybe I should combine them. Hopefully you like this! Thanks for the prompt I had lots of fun writing to your wishlist.

“We do not negotiate with terrorists Anthony.” Howard said from his place on the throne. Tony looked up at his father’s imposing image and wondered if he would ever be able to replicate it. Tony liked to think that realistically he wouldn’t be able to due to his Omega nature. That sort of self-righteous, self-assured attitude was a very Alpha trait. 

“Well--” Perhaps if he explained the logic behind his proposal the King and his council would bend to Tony’s logic. It was rather faultless logic if he said so himself, it only made sense for Tony to win them over. They wanted an answer to their problems and Tony’s math held the answers. It was hard to argue with numbers, Jarvis had always said as much during his lessons. 

“That is more than enough Anthony. We will not be negotiating with the Nomads. If they would like to play Robinhood in our kingdom they will be faced with the consequences. We cannot bend to their demands. Our neighboring kingdoms would get the wrong idea of who we are. That can never come to pass. You are excused Anthony.” Howard plowed on and raised an eyebrow when Tony did not immediately stand from his seat at the council table.

“Very well. Thank you for your consideration King Howard. Council.” Tony said with perfect politeness as he gathered his papers, the ones he’d spent countless hours preparing for this unusual invitation to the council table, and left the council room after a series of bows to all present. 

On the outside Tony Stark was the picture perfect image of what well-bred cultured Omegas were supposed to look like. On the inside Tony Stark was anything but the picture perfect image of what an Omega should be like. He hated that his Father constantly made him second guess himself and his knowledge. Howard Stark had a real problem with seeing things from others' perspectives. That council table was a perfect example of Howard’s inability to hear differing opinions. 

After all if you surround yourself with “yes-men” what was the likelihood of hearing something you didn’t want to hear? Next to zero. If Tony had been born an Alpha, his father’s rejections would be less likely. Hell if he’d been born a Beta things might have been slightly better. In their world, however, Omegas were meant to look pretty and carry conversations. They existed for the sole purpose of making an Alpha happy. 

The rules had always grated on Tony because they were archaic and stifling. It was near impossible for Tony to get away with things without using every trick he had in the book on a regular basis. He didn’t want to humor mindless Alphas that were more fixated on trying to fuck than listening to what he had to say. He wanted to work on the things that he cared about. He wanted to build new things. 

Tony believed in forward thinking. Their kingdom was powerful but there was also incredible potential for growth. If their kingdom could change, things could be so much better. Starkland, at least according to Howard, was a bastion of tradition and history. They could not cave to the pressures and whims of the neighboring lesser kingdoms. It was a limiting mentality to have, and it was no surprise to Tony why some people were willing to desert their kingdom for others. In the other kingdoms, Omegas had more opportunities and weren’t defined by the bonds they had with Alphas. Tony wanted that for Starkland too. But, it was the sort of thing that was unlikely to ever happen. Howard would sooner marry Tony off then let him do things outside of an Omega’s traditional role. 

As the young Omega walked through the halls of the castle, he felt a slight shiver run down his spine. A cursory glance around revealed the countless eyes that were trained on his figure, watching his every move. The slight aversion of a countess’s gaze, the reddening of a servant’s cheeks hinted at what Tony had known since he was a child. He was a plaything, a source of entertainment for the members of Howard’s court. he couldn’t help but be so aware of all the eyes on him. The curious and prying courtesans lived to gossip. Even the servants that Tony tried to treat kindly without making himself come across as weak, seemed to think of him as slightly odd. Perhaps word had already reached their ears of his feeble attempt to change Howard’s mind. Howard could have been much harsher, but no one would question Howard on his parenting skills. They would instead praise him for firmly putting Tony in his place. The very thought made Tony cringe internally, his composed facade narrowly avoiding having the court see his disdain. 

“There you are Tony!” Pepper murmured as she caught up to Tony in a swish of skirts. He turned to the pretty Beta and gave her a small fond smile as they continued walking. 

“Pepper, looking beautiful as always. Why were you looking for me?” He asked. They were approaching his chambers He picked up his pace, yearning to enter his private retreat where they could have a real conversation. He could have authenticity and privacy. They just needed to close the gap. 

“Oh you know, with the Queen’s annual charity ball coming up we need to start making plans! It’s the event of the year. You have to look like a picture perfect prince charming.” The redhead smiled broadly, her sparkling eyes and overall act of enthusiasm so believable, that if Tony hadn’t known better he would have believed her act. 

“Right right. The Omega prince charming.” Tony responded snidely before he could stop himself. At least he had said it rather quietly so only Pepper heard it.

Before Pepper could reply they had arrived at his rooms. The royal guards stationed at his door quickly moved aside , pulling open the heavy wooden doors and allowing the duo to enter his chambers. As soon as the doors closed behind them, Tony turned to Pepper with raised eyebrows. 

“So what happened?” Tony asked while he began undoing the outer layers of his court robes. The heavy red velvet cloak was tossed aside onto a settee while as he continued to remove unnecessary layers. The Omega corset that Tony donned to protect his virtue was thrown on the floor in a hurry. His button down was undone and left open, revealing his Omega shift underneath. How he yearned to remain in only his shift for the rest of the day. 

“Well from the letters I’ve been receiving from Jim it seems like the Nomads are getting the upper hand on the royal army. Your father has been giving more orders to kill their leader on sight,” Pepper reported while lifting her skirts and pulling out folded up letters from somewhere within. she handed them over to Tony. 

He skimmed through the slightly warm letters, Rhodey’s familiar scrawl detailing as much as he could given the very little he could get away with telling Pepper. 

“Have we figured out who their leader is yet? They’ve been incredibly secretive with their members identities. Their pack name didn’t even come from them. It came from the people…” Tony wondered aloud and Pepper’s expression was equally pensive. 

“I’m not entirely sure but I’m sure if anyone is going to find out then it’ll be Jim so we’re just going to have to wait it out” The Beta reassured. Tony sighed in frustration. He offered the letters to her, and then turned to toss the letters into the fire at her refusal. It wouldn’t do for any of his Father’s spies to know that he was still doing his best to figure out what was going on in their kingdom. 

“Are there any rumors I should be aware of?” He asked as he watched the letters shrivel up and turn into ash. 

“There are a few. There’s a rumor that the leader of the Nomads is an ex-captain of the royal guard. Steven Rogers? I’m not entirely sure if it’s true because I couldn’t even find a Steve Rogers in the records. So I’m not quite sure where that came from.”

“I’ve never heard of him. But then again, my Father’s soldiers have never really interested me. Perhaps Rhodey knows something that we don’t but we won’t be able to speak with him for a while. It’ll have to be something we wait on. Anything else?” Tony had since moved away from the fireplace to sit at his vanity. He turned one of the drawer handles, popping open a secret drawer. 

He reached in and grabbed some papers, smoothing out the parchment. He grabbed one of the graphite pen resting on the surface, and continued to work on the design on the paper. These weapon designs were entirely self-indulgent. Howard would never allow his Omega son to create actual weapons. It was unseemly. The Starks had an image to uphold. Tony’s creations would remain dirty little secrets tucked away in hidden drawers and burned to ashes if the moment called for it. 

“There are of course the usual rumors of when you’ll finally go into heat. There are whispers that Howard is planning on mating you off to the suitor with the largest fortune. The usual Alpha-centered drivel.” Pepper came over to stand behind Tony to look over his shoulder as he worked. She had always admired Tony’s creations and had always been encouraging in their younger years when Tony had been more easily discouraged. Now they were in their mid-twenties and had things been different Tony would’ve considered mating with Pepper but that was an impossibility in their world. It didn’t do to dwell on impossibilities Tony found. 

“Well I wouldn’t be surprised if Howard did mate me off to the biggest fortune. Sounds just like the sort of thing that he would do. Mother won’t protest either. She’s far too afraid of him for that. When the time comes, I’m just hoping I can look the Alpha in the eyes the morning after.” Resignation saturated the words. Tony was under very few delusions when it came to his future. He knew it would be far from pleasant. There was no fairytale romance in his future, he’d known that for years now. 

“Maybe let’s not talk about this anymore. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.” She murmured and ruffled his curls affectionately. As always Pepper was fantastic at distracting Tony. 

“Mmm sure. How about that ball outfit then? What’s the color of the year?” He asked and the gossip was forgotten in favor of discussing his outfit for the ball. 

* * *

Tony stood in front of the mirror and tugged on the cuffs of the dress jacket he had chosen with Pepper. It wouldn’t sit just right on his wrist and it was starting to get on his nerves. It wouldn’t do for him to look anything less than perfect at the Queen’s charity ball. Finally the cuffs settled and Tony look at his reflection, pleased with what he saw. 

His warm brown hair was curled just so. It looked incredibly soft to the touch and very shiny. His skin was a flawless olive tone and his lips a plush kissable red. The mid-thigh length red dress jacket framed Tony’s waist and hugged all his curves. The red silk of the jacket was embroidered with golden thread and delicate white and gold lace. It went over an understated black silk baroque patterned waistcoat. Black pants hugged his ass and disappeared into perfectly shined black boots. Of course if anyone was going to see Tony’s ass they’d have to get rid of the long dress coat but that was incredibly unlikely. 

Pepper appeared behind him with his crown resting on a pillow. Unlike his parents, Tony did not make a habit of wearing the status symbol often. However, it was unavoidable at these sorts of events. The gold of the crown glinted in the light, no doubt the result of hours of polishing, and the diamonds scattered small rainbows as light bounced off them. It was beautiful but Tony most certainly hated it. It was an Omega’s crown, just as dainty and trite as expected of an Omega. It was more of a delicate tiara than an actual crown of power. 

He turned away from his reflection to bend his head down so Pepper could place the crown upon his hair. She gently placed it on his head and adjusted his hair before stepping back with a small smile and a nod. 

“You look like absolute royalty.” She said and coming from Pepper it didn’t feel quite so dirty. From almost anyone else the words would have made him feel horrible. He was well aware of what it had taken to build the kingdom he was a royal to. 

“You look gorgeous Pep.” He responded and admired the navy and silver ball gown Pepper was wearing. It had cost a small fortune to make but for his most trusted member of court it was but a small price to pay. 

A knock interrupted them, and was quickly followed by Queen Maria Stark’s entrance, an older handmaid following closely behind her. Tony bit down on his lower lip, fighting a groan from escaping at the sight of the delicate gold choker laced with rubies, diamonds, and pearls. 

“My darling Anthony! You look beautiful son! I’ve brought this choker from the family vaults. It suits your colors this year! A Stark Omega should only wear the finest collars. Sarah, if you would,” the Queen commanded and the handmaid stepped forward to fasten the choker on Tony’s neck. 

The choker was beautiful, but Tony was far from being a fan of being so clearly labeled as a Stark Omega. The claim felt wrong. Tony could not imagine himself being comfortable wearing any Alpha’s collar. Not unless Tony got a say in it at least, perhaps that would make it more tolerable. He sincerely doubted though that he would ever find an Alpha who would allow that though. 

“You’re a vision darling! All the Alphas present tonight will surely fight for your hand! Your father and I have already begun discussing potential matches for you. This is an important night darling. Please be on your best behavior.” The Queen implored and Tony reluctantly nodded.

“Of course Mother. I’ll behave. You know I wouldn’t disappoint you.” He accepted the quick kiss his mother gave him on the cheek. No matter how powerless his Mother was around her Alpha, Tony still loved her for trying. It was far more than Howard ever did.

* * *

The ball was in full swing. The bonded couples were twirling around the dance floor while the unbonded chatted at the edges of the room with small groups with glasses of the finest wines and liquors. Tony had just finished his rounds around the room and was finally free to mingle with his friends. Against a wall were Rhodey, Stephen, Nebula, T’Challa, Pepper, Bruce, Carol, and Maria. He easily snatched a glass of champagne on his way to his friends, who immediately made room for him as he approached. 

“Stark. You look handsome tonight. Were you get forced out of your chambers?” Stephen Strange said in snarky greeting. Tony laughed quietly and clinked glasses with the Alpha. 

“You look rich again. Finally got tired of playing poor physician?” Two could play at that game. 

“Hardly. We all know the kingdom’s best had to attend the Queen’s ball. God forbid we fight through the charity event of the season.” Strange as always remained entirely unfiltered. It was a refreshing quality of the Strange family, one that Tony loved and that Howard hated, which made it even better in Tony’s eyes. 

“Now now, how have you been Tones? It’s been so long.” Rhodey cut in with an easy smile and Tony turned away from Stephen to give his best friend a real smile. The Alpha had always treated Tony well, far better than any other Alpha growing up, and now with his role as a top general for the royal army Tony hardly saw him. These moments were so far and few in between. 

“I’ve been okay. The King invited me to the council table. It didn’t quite go as expected but it was a nice change of pace. I’ve been sketching. Maybe I’ll show you all my ideas before you leave for the battlefield again. It might help you guys come home sooner,” the Prince answered. 

“Always thinking of battle, aren't you? One of these days I’m just going to toss you over my shoulder and take you with us.” Nebula said with a grin. The female Alpha was fearless and one that Tony greatly admired because she chose to be relentless in her pursuits. 

“I don’t know why you haven’t already but speaking of battle. For those of us locked away in a castle waiting for a prince to save us, can one of you confirm a rumor Pep heard?” Tony whispered while moving in closer to the group with a quick look around the room. It wouldn’t do for them to be overheard. The others followed suit and closed their circle. 

“Which is what?” T’Challa asked easily while turning to look at Pepper. 

“Well given what Jim has told us about the Nomads and your encounters. We were wondering if you know who their leader is? I heard a rumor that he used to be a former captain of the royal guard. The name I kept hearing was Steven Rogers but there’s no one in the guard records with that name.” Pepper explained. 

“Well I’m not necessarily sure about Steven Rogers but I do know that a handful of Alphas did leave the guard a while back. So if we look into them we might find this Steven Rogers.” Bruce murmured. 

“Oh that’s right. There were the Barnes brothers, Romanoff, Odinson, Van Dyne, and Wilson.” Carol continued. 

“Right right! Didn’t they take some Betas from the guard too?” Maria cut in. 

“Mia’s right. It was quite an exodus from the royal guard.” Carol said. The note of affection in her tone for her Omega almost distracted Tony. Carol and Maria worked very well together. It almost made Tony envious. 

“I know for a fact that Romanoff and Barton are part of the Nomads. Their methods are quite unique. I wouldn’t put it past them to have recruited the others that left the guard at the time. There was a lot of tension among us all.” T’Challa was pensive. 

“Wait so you’re telling me that some of the former royal guard are actually part of the Nomads? How has Howard not caught onto that?” Tony was shocked. He knew Howard was blinded by his own ego but how had the King not caught on? If this was true then it made perfect sense for the Nomads to be able to get away with all they had. They knew the inner workings of the kingdom. 

“Not so loud Stark. There are reasons that the King isn’t aware of their involvement.” Stephen muttered with a look in his eyes that clearly said Tony had been far too loud. The Omega rolled his eyes and waited for someone to explain. 

“Why doesn’t the King know?” Pepper asked of the group. 

“We chose not to say anything about it. We all went through training together so it was easily recognizable to us. So we made it a priority to be the first responders to their strikes so we take care of the evidence that gives them away.” Rhodey explained and Tony found himself respecting his best friend for a new reason. 

“That explains why they’ve gotten away with so much. I would’ve figured that you would’ve caught them by now. You’re a formidable group.” Tony muttered before sipping his champagne. 

“Yes. Granted they are rather skilled so even if their methods were recognized that doesn’t necessarily mean we would be able to easily catch them. Romanoff and Barton are especially skilled at disappearing and working from the shadows. It’s hard to find ghosts.” Strange grudgingly admitted. 

“It feels morally wrong to stop them. They’re doing their best to give back to the people. Something that unfortunately the King isn’t very interested in doing if we’re honest. Although I will admit that it is getting harder for us to hide them.” Bruce seemed especially knowledgeable about them. Did he still keep in communication with the former royal guard?

“Bruce, do you still talk to them?” Tony whispered and the Beta shook his head with a sad expression crossing his soft features. 

“No, when they were leaving, we all agreed it was better not to keep in contact. I wasn’t in agreement with going against the crown so I stayed. I admire the choice they made and I’m reluctant to stop them but I’m not willing to join them. It’s difficult. Odinson and Romanoff were the ones most upset about my position.” Bruce threw back the remainder of his drink and seemed to retreat into himself if the lingering sadness in his eyes was anything to go off of. He’d clearly said more than he’d intended to. 

“Okay got it. Well then why didn’t I hear about this grand exodus of soldiers?” Tony asked of the others. He wanted to understand how he had managed to go so long without knowing anything about this. He made it his business to know as much as he could while Howard actively kept him from any intel. 

“Commander Fury swore the entire guard to secrecy and for once we all took it seriously. They were our own. It is very hard to admit that we lost members of our pack because we didn’t agree. We should have found a way to figure it out but the King forced our hand with his demands. It wasn’t going to work out. Grant and Bucky were the most upset with the status quo. The divide definitely started with them.” Rhodey was rather quiet as he explained. As if it had cost him something to admit that and maybe it had but Tony didn’t really have time to focus on that because Maria gasped quietly. The noise made the entire circle follow her gaze to the doors where four well dressed figures were making their way into the ballroom. 

The quartet drew the eyes of everyone in the room. Two blonds, a redhead, and a brunette. They seemed oddly familiar to Tony but he couldn’t quite place them. They were dressed like soldiers in black uniforms that seemed intended for operating in the shadows. The hushed murmuring of the guests turned into full blown commentary as the group cut through the crowd to make their way over to where the King and Queen had been conversing with advisors by the staircase that led away into the upper gallery of the ballroom. 

“King Howard and Queen Maria Stark.” The taller blond of the group said before bowing his head and his comrades followed suit. The gesture didn’t come across as respectful but then again Tony figured that was the point after all. The blond’s tone was just this side of snide.

“Who let you in? Traitors aren’t invited to parties. Guards!” Howard said and the anger was readily apparent in the older Alpha’s demeanor. His upper lip was already beginning to tremble. A telltale sign he was about to start screaming.

The guards that were posted around the room made their way over to the group but still remained a few feet away. Their reluctance to actually touch the quartet was very apparent to the entire room given the way the court was now questioning the guards’ hesitance. 

“Well Tony you wanted to know who they are. That’s Grant Barnes, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, and Bucky Barnes.” Bruce muttered just loud enough for Tony to hear while they watched the scene unfold before them. He got a vague mental image of them around the palace in the royal guard uniform but it had never seemed especially important to Tony. Maybe he should have paid more attention in the past. 

The taller blond tossed a faintly light blue crystalline cube that had been clearly smashed for whatever had been inside onto the floor. 

“Oh fuck.” Strange murmured seemingly recognizing the cube. It seemed familiar to Tony but he couldn’t place it. Where had he seen it?

“How did you get that?!” Howard raged as his eyes fixed on the broken cube. 

“Greed does such interesting things to people your Majesty. Some villagers were hungry and we figured opening the kingdom food stores was the best option for actually caring for the people. Don’t worry, the only thing we broke was your fancy door lock. It had such a pretty stone inside it.” Romanoff answered in a calm collected tone. 

“Yeah, you’ll be pleased to know we rationed things properly for the villagers. There’s still plenty left in the stores. You’ll be just fine  _ your Majesty. _ ” Barton was the very image of overconfident Alpha. Tony wondered how long this show of power was going to last. 

“Guards. Look these traitors up now! They’re thieves and they will be punished with the harshest of punishments. I will not allow this behavior.” Howard commanded, the anger and impatience so incredibly obvious. It was so obvious that the quartet was intent on provoking the King and that they were succeeding. 

“We just wanted to officially introduce ourselves. We’ve been working from the shadows for a while now. The mystery is fun and all but we figured it was time all the people knew who they could trust. Our citizens call us the Nomads and we are more than prepared to wage war against you, your Majesty.” One of the Barnes, the brunette, continued. The words looked practiced or rather the way in which they worked together was practiced. They had been doing this for a long time clearly. 

“Do you believe that you scare me?” Howard scoffed as he walked over to them his face warping into a furious scowl. “Do you think that you stand a chance against my army? We’ll decimate you. I’ll make sure that anyone who supports you gets what they deserve. Traitors of the crown are better off dead and we all know that. Frankly, the only thing surprising about any of this is the fact that I ever allowed any of you to serve the crown. I know your name, Grant Barnes, an honor so few of the royal guard have, only because you’re a traitor and a thief.” 

“Steven Rogers.” The taller blond said to Howard’s confusion. “My name is Steven Rogers but you wouldn’t have known that. The children of servants aren’t allowed to serve their King as guards. I had to get around that somehow and I did. You never bothered to check my identity anyway. Regardless, this isn’t about me. This is about the people you are leaving out to die. You will redistribute rations to the outer villages and especially to those in the south or face the consequences. This isn’t a threat. This is a promise. If you cannot take care of your people then I will take them away from you.” 

“I don’t negotiate with terrorists and I’ve had more than enough of this. Guards now!” 

The guards that had managed to casually become a part of the crowd moved over to grab the quartet. The Nomads tossed the guards attempting to grab them like ragdolls. It was swift and left the guards groaning on the polished marble floor. 

“You have a fortnight or we will make good on our promise your Majesty.” Rogers said as they aboutfaced and strode out of the silent ballroom. 

Howard was visibly seething. 

“I guess you won’t have to worry about your moral dilemma anymore Bruce. They took care of it for you.” Tony murmured.

* * *

“I will not be made a fool of!” Howard screamed as he paced the length of the council room. The congregation, consisting of Tony, his mother, and a few of the councilmen watched as the King rampaged about, his steps falling heavily in anger. 

“Your Majesty may I suggest--” 

“Shut up Hammer! No. I need to think. This ridiculous ploy is meant to intimidate me into giving into their bullshit. I’m not going to do that. No, I’ll figure something out and we’ll win. It’s inevitable Starks don’t lose. We can’t. We won’t. ” To Tony, Howard’s muttering sounded mildly deranged. As if the whole ordeal at the ball had snapped something in the older man. 

“Perhaps it would be wise to consult with the army generals your Majesty. They could provide you with the necessary information to create a strategy.” Obidiah Stane suggested. unlike Hammer’s attempt at interrupting Howard’s tirade, his suggestion seem to warrant a response. 

The King paused in his pacing to look Stane in the face. 

“Do you believe they know enough to deal with this issue?” Howard questioned and Stane just gave him a crooked smile. The sort of smile that read as up to no good. 

“If my intelligence is to be believed then some of the generals and their close advisors are hiding information on the Nomads. It would most certainly be wise to consider bringing them in for questioning,” Stane answered. Tony grit his teeth in response. He could see where this conversation was leading and he was far from happy. There would be no way to warn his friends either. 

“Who should we start with?” 

“I’ve heard that James Rhodes and Bruce Banner know a lot about them.” Tony had been right. Stane was up to no good and his friends were now about to face Howard’s wrath. 

It wouldn’t have been so bad if Howard hadn’t been looking for someone to punish.

* * *

“Bruce is still being interrogated. I know this isn’t going to end well. What I don’t understand is how Obi found out about them keeping the secret. We didn’t even know about it until they told us last night. This doesn’t make sense Pepper. Either someone has betrayed us or there were more spies there last night than usual. Both options are far from pleasant.” Tony looked around at the people in his chambers. Pepper, Stephen, Carol, and Maria were the only ones Tony had managed to sneak into his chambers once the King had dismissed him with a harsh yell. 

“Well we can only hope that Howard calms down.” Pepper said quietly. She looked especially small in the plush armchair she was curled up in. She’d since changed out of her elegant ball gown into a thinner dress and a big warm cloak over it. Her cloak dwarfed her and the image made Tony want to take the woman into his arms. But as much as he wanted to comfort her, he could not because he was worried about his other friends too much. 

“They’re tough. If anyone can make it through whatever Howard Stark throws at them it’ll be them. It won’t do anyone any good to worry about them. We just need to focus on figuring out if we have a traitor in our midst. Which for the record I don’t think is the case.” Carol’s cool voice betrayed nothing. The blond’s blank expression suggested that she was ready to act at a moment’s notice. It was the sort of calm lull that soldiers waited in while their orders were coming in.

* * *

“Ah Anthony! There you are! We have been looking for you all over the place! Why did you leave the King’s chambers? We’re practically at war my boy! We must protect you. Come come.” Obidiah said loudly as he rounded the corner with royal guards trailing behind him. 

Tony and his small group of friends stopped in the hall. They had just been speaking about the man in Tony’s chambers. Something was most certainly wrong here. How had he known where to find Tony? He had a bad feeling about this but he didn’t have time to linger on it. Obidiah quickly strode over and pushed past the unconscious Alpha barrier that Stephen and Carol had created in front of Tony. He set his heavy hands on Tony’s shoulders and began steering him away from his friends. 

“Come along we mustn’t waste time. You’re more than likely to be in danger. We do not know where those traitors to the crown are hiding.” The guard that had been trailing Obi quickly took hold of Tony’s friends before they could follow. 

Tony and Obi rounded the corner and continued walking through the castle in silence for a few minutes. Tony tried to casually shake off the hold Obidiah had on him but the older man wouldn’t budge. The other guards posted around the castle seemed to turn away from them as they walked by, like they wanted to remain unaware of Tony’s whereabouts. The bad feeling seemed to intensify the further they walked through the castle into more desolate parts until they stopped at a seemingly random door. 

Obi pushed the door open before forcing Tony into the room and kicking the door closed behind him. 

“Now, it’s very unfortunate for you that you’re more than likely going to die in the crossfire. I’ve been manipulating your father for the past few years into running this kingdom into the ground. Those neighboring kingdoms were willing to pay a fine price for Starkland and it’s hard to resist that kind of wealth if you know what I mean. Except now I also have to deal with those fucking Nomads. Howard is already on the edge of declaring war but he needs a push still. I think everyone will benefit from Prince Anthony Stark being assassinated by the Nomads. Well apart from you that is but it's for the greater good. You understand that. You’ve always had big dreams for this kingdom. More's the pity.” 

Tony managed to finally wrench himself free from Obi’s hold to look around his surroundings. They were in a completely empty room roughly the size of a small ante-chamber. There was nothing but dust and the two of them in the room. 

“No one will believe this story. A few people just saw you walk away with me. Why wouldn’t they just expose you as the one behind my death?” Tony said before he could think better of it. It was stupid thing to say but he couldn’t help it. It was either be afraid or be angry, and he refused to be scared. 

“Oh this is for your own good. Howard will come see you himself. It’ll work out. The Nomads are somewhere in here anyway. Their little display was meant to serve as a distraction. They’re trying to find Howard’s plans for the army. Little do they know that was my ploy and there’s no plans. It is so easy to feed people false information. Now have a pleasant stay Anthony.” 

Obidiah slammed the door shut behind him and a few moments later Tony heard the telltale sound of armoured guards taking their place outside his door. He turned around to look at his surroundings again to see if there was anything he could make to get out of there. He was on his own.

* * *

Steve followed behind Natasha and Clint, they had to be absolutely quiet as they snuck around the castle. There were far more posted guards now than there had been when they had still been part of the guard. Natasha held up a hand from the front and they stopped immediately. She pointed at the guards posted just a little out of sight and quickly directed them to each take out different ones. 

Steve nodded and immediately took off to grab his designated guard. Before the other Alpha could even figure out he was alone, Steve had him in a chokehold that swiftly took his breath away. The blond dropped the unconscious guard and met up with the other two where they were waiting at the end of the hall. 

“So we’re going to find the plans. It would probably be best if you and Bucky covered us while we do that. Make sure we don’t have any guards coming after us.” Natasha explained but before she could explain anymore they heard a door close further up ahead. 

_ “Make sure no one gets into that room. I’ll send someone to kill the Prince soon. They’ll make sure it looks like those filthy Nomads did it. Just stay vigilant. The rest of the guard is around and the Nomads might still be nearby.” _

_ “Yes sir.” Another two voices responded robotically.  _

_ “Very good. Remember stay vigilant!”  _

One set of footsteps seemed to walk away further down in the other direction. The three Nomads turned to look at each other with confused expressions. 

“You two find the plans. I’ll go find the Prince. He’s clearly not a part of either his father’s plans or that other man’s plans.” Steve commanded and the other two immediately nodded.

“It sounded like Obidiah Stane. Be very careful. He’s always been up to things Steve.” Natasha cautioned before they took off down a small side corridor. Steve nodded to himself and moved forward. He had to go find the Prince. 

* * *

The sound of two heavy thumps falling just outside the door made Tony look up from where he had been tearing apart his coat for materials to make some sort lockpick. 

“Prince Anthony are you in there?” A voice called just loudly enough to be heard through the door. The voice was cautious and very familiar. It sounded like--

Wait. It couldn’t be. 

“Steven Rogers?” Tony asked and immediately got an affirmative from the other side. There was the sound of ruffling on the other side of the door before it quieted down again. 

“I’m going to break down the door because it seems like these guards don’t have keys to unlock the door. Step back as far as you can from the door and tell me when you’re away from it.” Rogers instructed him and Tony did as told before calling out he was away from the door. 

A few seconds later he heard the sound of a body throwing itself at the door. The first time the door wouldn’t budge but the second time it gave way and there he was. The blond Alpha who’d threatened Howard but only a few hours ago. Now was definitely not the time for Tony to gawk at the man who up close was handsomer than Tony thought possible. 

“Please come with me. You’re not safe here.” Rogers said and Tony hesitated before following him out of the room into the corridor. 

“Would I be safe with you though? You’re at war with Howard. You do realize that right?” 

“I know that and I can’t guarantee that you’ll be safe with me but you’ll be safer than you are right now. Is that good enough for you?” The blond said with a mildly unimpressed look on his face. The man looked around clearly on edge and expecting a fight any second. 

“Fine. Lead the way.” Tony had nothing to lose. 

* * *

How they’d escaped the castle was beyond Tony but they had. They’d managed to hitch a ride in a seemingly innocuous caravan and had been out of the city in minutes. What followed had been a silent trip to the Nomads’ hiding spot, a beautiful manor on the outskirts of the capitol area, a few hours ride away. No wonder they had been able to achieve so much. 

“We’ll give you a place to stay while you figure out what you want to do.” Steve promised while they walked up the dirt path that led to the front doors of the manor. He’d long since dismissed Tony’s use of Rogers to refer to him with the explanation that he didn’t like how detached that seemed. 

“Are you sure?” Tony asked. How could any of them trust him so easily when they’d just saved him from that shit show?

“No offense your Highness but given what we know about you. You’re not in on anything.” Barton answered and while Tony was offended, he also understood what the other man was saying. Tony just really didn’t know enough to be a real threat to battle hardened soldiers. 

* * *

The Nomads were so different from what Tony was used to. They treated each other like the only thing that mattered to them was each other’s ability. Alpha. Beta. Omega. None of that seemed to matter to them. It was a refreshing change of pace. Tony was envious of the environment that mentality had created within the manor. It was so different from what he had experienced within the castle. 

Steve was a large part of why they behaved that way and Tony could tell. He actively made the effort to speak with everyone in the manor. He had a rapport with all of them. He even made the effort to get to know Tony more even as the others left the prince alone to his own devices. Steve would bring Tony books and update him on general things about the kingdom and the parts of the kingdom that he had taken under his wing. 

“Steve...I…” The brunette hesitated. Was it the sort of question you asked someone you had only met a few weeks ago? He was curious though. 

“What is it?” Steve asked and looked up from the book he’d been reading. They were sitting in the library together. Tony had finally started leaving his room once he realized that no one in the manor seemed intent in doing anything untowardly to him. 

“Um...well you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’m just curious because you’re so nice and well you’re not so bad on the eyes.” Tony rambled and he could feel his heating up in what was surely an embarrassing pink. 

“Uh huh?” Steve prompted and set down the book his eyes had gone back to. The blond’s full attention was on Tony now. 

“Um you...you don’t have a mate do you?” Tony asked and immediately closed his eyes in mortification. The last thing he needed to see was Steve finally getting fed up with him and his questions. Because Steve had been the one to answer all of Tony’s questions over the past few weeks. He’d been the one with the endless patience as Tony fluctuated between being frustrated and happy about his situation. 

“I don’t. Everyone else does. I just--” Steve paused and Tony opened his eyes to see why Steve had stopped. The blond was biting his bottom lip as if considering what he was going to say. 

“You just?” Tony prompted.

“I just hadn’t found someone that appealed to me. Finding a mate is kind of a big deal. You’re going to spend a good amount of time together with this other person. You need to be sure they are someone you want to be with. I just hadn’t found someone like that.” Steve explained and Tony nodded. That made sense because mating was a very big deal for nobles and commoners alike. Tony was well aware of the repercussions of a poorly chosen mate. He’d seen it often enough between nobility. 

“Wait you said hadn’t. Past tense. Does that mean you’ve finally found someone?” Perhaps Steve had found a potential mate during one of his missions. The Alpha was often gone for days at a time. Tony didn’t see him all that often. The blush that started at Steve’s cheeks and went down his neck was attractive. Tony couldn’t help but get distracted tracing the blush with his eyes. 

“Yes. I’ve found someone.” The words were hesitant as if Tony had the power to destroy Steve’s choice. Tony doubted that whatever he said would change Steve’s mind about his future mate. That just didn’t seem like a thing. 

“So who is it?” Tony asked and watched the blond go from hesitant to playfully annoyed in the span of a few seconds. The blush was starting to fade from Steve’s face. 

“It’s you. Who else could it be?” Steve responded snarkily and Tony made a face of absolute confusion before pointing at himself.

“Are you sure? I mean I know I’m very pretty and you’re very handsome. We’d made great babies together but--are you really sure you want me to be your mate?” This was not how Tony had ever expected to find a potential mate. 

“I’m positive.” 

“You do realize this is going to be taken as nothing less as another act of war?” Tony wanted Steve to be sure. 

“Sure. I'm positive that I will have to fight tooth and nail with the King’s army. I’d just like to be happy before I go do that. Does this mean you would be willing to be my mate? I wasn’t sure if the subtle courting method was going to work on you. I’m prepared to be more obvious if you want that.” 

“You know what? I can’t wait to see what our babies look like.” 

* * *

Steve’s efforts to court Tony became more obvious after that conversation in the library. They’d worn disguises and gone on dates. They’d spent time with the rest of the pack and Tony had slowly but surely started to feel like one of them. It was only a matter of time before he fully joined the pack. The moment Tony’s heat came they’d be able to mate. It would secure Tony’s place within the pack. 

It couldn’t come soon enough because if there was one thing where Steve was just as traditional as any other court Alpha it was sex. The man refused to give Tony more than a heated kissing section and teasing touches. It was starting to wear Tony down because the Omega knew what he wanted. He wanted Steve and he wanted all of him. Tony was sometimes two seconds away from just pushing Steve down on the closest surface and having his way with his future Alpha. It was driving him insane how Steve was acting. 

Could the Alpha just give in and fuck Tony already? 

* * *

“When am I ever going into heat? Oh my god. I swear Loki if my heat doesn’t happen soon I’m going to lose it. Steve is such a fucking tease. I’m annoyed.” Tony complained while they sat in the other Omega’s sitting room. 

“I’m sure it’ll come around soon. You and Steve are close. I’m sure your body is preparing itself. You’re still at the age where it’s understandable if you haven’t gone through heat yet. A lot of Omegas first experience heat when their bodies are sure they’ll be well taken care of. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but Steve has been providing for you so often. It reminds me of when Thor did so for me. Trust me, your heat is going to happen any day. Your body and Steve’s know best and they’re both preparing.” The dark haired man reassured Tony. 

“I have noticed but I’m impatient. I want to be with Steve. I want to be a part of this family and I can’t be yet. It doesn’t work like that even though I wish it did. I need to mate with Steve.” 

Loki scoffed quietly and shook his head as if Tony was being ridiculous. If the all-knowing smirk on Loki’s face didn’t give away his disagreement then his words most certainly did.

“It does work like that. You’ve been here for weeks. How many? I’ve lost count and Steve has been one second away from launching himself into space to give you the moon and stars. Even I like you and choose to spend time with you. You’re one of us and you don’t need to be Steve’s mate for that. Don’t be ridiculous.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Have you ever known me to be wrong Stark?”

* * *

The conversation with Loki had been more reassuring than Tony had expected. He’d become less obsessed with the idea of his heat coming, that when it did he hadn’t been planning for it anymore. Not consciously at least. 

“Tony you’re nesting.” Steve said upon entering the Omega’s bedroom with their dinners balanced on a platter. They’d planned to spend a quiet evening just the two of them eating and talking. It was a simple pleasure that a busy person like Steve didn’t have the time for as much anymore. 

“Nesting? What do you mean?” Tony knew exactly what Steve meant but he didn’t want to admit it. Maybe his hands were shaking slightly because he was itching to readjust some of the blankets on his bed into a more appropriate pile. It looked too put together for his taste. He gave into the temptation and rearranged the blankets again while Steve set down the platter down somewhere behind him. 

The Alpha appeared behind him and drew him slowly into his arms. Steve leaned down to sniff Tony’s neck. The pleased hum that left the blond’s mouth was enough confirmation for Tony. 

“So I’m entering heat aren’t I?” Tony muttered and Steve nodded against his neck as he took another whiff of Tony’s scent. 

“You smell so good Tony. Can I?” Steve muttered as he turned the Omega around to meet eyes. Chocolate eyes met blue ones and Tony nodded. He wanted Steve and he was tired of waiting. 

“Yes please.” Tony answered and angled his neck to give Steve room to claim him. The bite would trigger a full-blown heat in a moment’s notice. 

Steve nodded before bending once more to smell Tony’s scent. A second later Tony felt teeth biting his bonding gland and the warmth that had been simmering at the back of Tony’s mind exploded into a burst of fire. Steve pulled back and tilted his head to the right to give Tony space to return the favor. Tony didn’t hesitate to lay his claim on Steve before pulling away to draw the Alpha into a heated kiss. 

Steve’s hands landed on Tony’s hips and drew their hips together. Their groans of pleasure at the friction were muffled by their kisses. Tony could not get enough of kissing Steve. There was something intoxicating about how the Alpha was kissing Tony like he was the only other person in the world. 

Tony pulled away from the kiss because as much as he liked kissing Steve, he was finally getting what he wanted and no one was going to stop him from getting the fucking of his life. The Omega undid the buttons on Steve’s shirt before pushing it off the man’s chest to run his hands down it. 

“You too sweetheart.” Steve growled softly while his hands took the hem of Tony’s top and tossed it somewhere in the bedroom. Tony reached down to unbuckle Steve’s pants to free his cock from its confines. 

“Bed. Come on. Bed.” Tony muttered after he’d gotten Steve fully undressed. He took the blond’s hand and guided him to the large bed. Tony took care of the rest of his clothes before throwing himself back onto the bed and making grabby hands for the Alpha. 

“Yes sweetheart whatever you want.” Steve said with amusement as he took his place on the bed and gently spread Tony’s legs to make space in between them. 

“ _ Alpha.” _ Tony whispered as he wrapped his legs around Steve’s waist to draw the man closer. Steve moved down to take Tony’s lips in another heated kiss while his hands moved to Tony’s opening. The slick noise of Tony’s wetness drew a groan from Steve as he traced Tony’s entrance with a careful finger. 

“You’re so wet sweetheart. I’m sure you’re going to feel so good.” Steve whispered as he pulled back from the kiss to look down at where his finger had gone from tracing the entrance to pushing in slowly. Tony moaned at the feeling but after a few moments began pushing his hips into the touch.

“Come on give me more. I want you to fuck me. You’ve been teasing me for far too long Steve Rogers.” One finger became two and after what seemed like an eternity two turned into three. The thrusts of Steve’s fingers was pleasurable but it wasn’t enough. Tony knew it wouldn’t be enough. 

“Are you ready sweetheart?” Steve asked as he pulled his fingers from Tony’s entrance. It seemed like the blond could tell Tony was in need of more. Maybe Tony’s thoughts had been accidentally vocalized. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was finally getting to feel Steve inside him. 

“Yes hurry up or so help me god--” The words were cut off by a breathy moan escaping Tony’s lips. Steve was so deep inside him and Tony had never felt so full in his entire life. 

The brunette reached for the blond and drew him into another kiss as the Alpha started thrusting slowly. A steady motion that seemed to stoke the flames burning Tony from the inside out. He moved his hips in time with Steve and the effect was mind blowing. It was hard for Tony to really focus on anything but the way that Steve’s cock was managing to hit that spot inside him that made him let out the most embarrassing moans. As Tony got closer to his release he could feel that Steve was getting there too. The steady thrusts were giving way to more rapid ones. 

“Come on Alpha...knot me already. Don’t you want to know what our babies are going to look like?” Tony whispered into Steve’s ear before moving his lips to plant kisses over Steve’s bruised mating bite. 

“Believe me sweetheart I am going to knot you.” Steve groaned and sped up his thrusts even more. Tony could feel the knot on the outside of his hole growing and starting to catch on the rim. He knew it wouldn’t take more than a few more thrusts for them to be locked together for the foreseeable future. 

“Yes please Alpha.” Tony moaned as a particularly hard thrust pushed the knot inside him and threw him over the edge. Steve gave a few more shallow thrusts before he came inside Tony with a muffled groan into the Omega’s neck. The blond waited a few moments before shifting carefully to lay down on the bed with Tony resting against him. 

They laid there catching their breath and relishing in being tied together. It was better than Tony had been expecting it to be. The occasional release of cum Steve’s cock let out while they waited for the knot to go down felt so good. It made Tony feel sexy knowing that he could make his Alpha keep coming even after he’d cummed. Alphas generally didn’t keep cumming while knotted to Omegas, it was something that only happened between rare few pairs. 

Tony hummed and cuddled closer to his Alpha because Steve his Alpha now. In every conceivable way. Steve was pack now. He was family. It was a nice feeling. It made Tony feel warm in a way very different from heat. 

“Was that worth the wait?” Steve said softly into Tony’s hair and the Omega moved his head away to be able to meet eyes with the blond.

“I’m not feeding your ego.” At Tony’s words the blond started to look a little upset and Tony sucked in a breath through his teeth. He tugged Steve into a soft kiss that was full of love. He didn’t actually want his Alpha to feel bad. Maybe teasing him now hadn’t been the best idea. They were still reeling from the vulnerability of their first mating. 

“It was worth the wait. I promise you. Now kiss me some more while we wait out your knot.” Tony murmured against the blond’s lips. 

* * *

Tony stared down at the letter. He had no words for how he felt about its contents. Howard hadn’t even made an effort to find Tony when he’d left the castle. How he’d gotten wind of Tony mating with Steve was beyond him. Still the fact remained that Howard knew and had decided Tony could no longer be his heir if he was mated to the enemy. Which fair but Howard could have just left it at that, he hadn’t. 

“What does it say sweetheart?” Steve asked him and Tony cleared his throat before sliding the letter across the table that sat between them. Steve reached for the parchment and Tony watched his eyes go down the page. The further down Steve read the more his lips pursed in anger. 

“He disowned you? I cannot believe he threatened to have you executed on sight if you ever set foot in the castle again. How could a father actually say that to their child?” Steve dropped the letter like it had burned him once he finished reading and Tony took it back with shaky hands. 

“I  _ can _ believe it. It’s just the sort of thing he would do.” The brunette rose from his seat at the table to throw the letter in the room’s fireplace. He watched the parchment curl in on itself and wondered how he’d ever thought Howard wouldn’t find out. He should’ve expected this.

* * *

The nausea was what had made Tony start paying attention. It had started very mildly until he’d found himself rushing from the dinner table to the nearest bathroom. He’d vomited the very little food he’d had in the first place. The door had been opened to reveal a concerned Steve and Loki. The dark haired man had proceeded to check him over and ask him twenty questions before declaring that he needed to take Tony to their infirmary to check him over further. 

A few droplets of Tony’s blood in a potion filled vile later had revealed the cause: pregnancy. Tony was going to be a father. Steve was going to be a father.

“Oh my god Tony. I...Thank you for this.” Steve had whispered and drawn his Omega into a tight hug. Tony held on tight. This was going to be a wild ride.

* * *

The library was Tony’s favorite place to work. It had a table perfect for him to sketch out weapon designs and any other idea that came to mind. The stillness and quiet of the room afforded him a peace that he couldn’t find anywhere else in the manor. The pack knew better than to leave the library a mess or they’d face Tony’s ire. He set down the pen he’d been using to trace a sketch once he realized he’d traced the same spot three times over. 

His thoughts had been drifting often to his child. If it weren’t for the obviously growing baby bump he wouldn’t believe it himself. It just wouldn’t compute that he was starting a family with someone he wanted to be with. This hadn’t been an arrangement. It had been love. Don’t get him wrong though because Tony knew that being in love with Steve Rogers wasn’t a walk in the park at all times. The blond was as equally capable of ridiculous Alpha posturing as the next guy. He just knew better than to expect Tony to be responsive to the behavior. Still Steve was his Alpha and the father of his child which made all the difference to Tony. 

He had always known that one day he would more than likely carry an Alpha’s child. It was just what was expected of him. He hadn’t thought he would be so at ease with the pregnancy though. The Alpha he had always imagined was just another well off political ally to Howard, beyond that the Alpha was faceless. It hadn’t really ever been more clear than that. He had just learned to not think on the idea for long before it upset him. 

In this one instance though, Tony was more than happy to admit he was wrong. His baby would be so well loved and protected. Their pack would never let anything happen to the baby. Steve and Tony would never let anyone touch their child. Tony was confident that Steve would make sure their child would never want for anything. Steve’s position as pack Alpha guaranteed them stability and opportunity. Their family would be better off for it. 

“How are you doing?” Bucky asked from the doorway of the library. It snapped Tony out of his thoughts. 

“I’m fine. Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with Nat?” Tony asked the other Omega. 

“She’s with Clint. They’re doing recon on the castle.” Bucky explained. 

“Right. Makes sense. I gather Howard is still reeling from his army being decimated.” 

They’d been fighting with Howard for months and it had been high time it stopped. Steve and his Nomads had slowly but surely stripped Howard of his authority. Taking down the guard and claiming regions for what the people were now referring to as Americana. Steve had been declared a ruthless warlord who would not hesitate to send his pack after anyone threatening his lands. He was still far more benevolent than Howard could ever hope to be. 

“Word seems to be that the King is dying. No one really knows why.” Bucky moved out of the doorway to take a seat across from Tony at the table. Usually it was Steve’s spot but his Alpha was out reinforcing the ruthless warlord persona that had destroyed Howard Stark. 

“Can’t say I’m surprised. Maybe someone finally sucked it up and decided to poison the man. Maybe Mother finally snapped. I still cannot fathom that woman’s endless patience. It can’t actually be endless right? Hmm…well I can’t say I feel sorry for him. I don’t.” 

“No one ever said you had to feel bad. ” 

“Yeah well I’m not sure everyone would agree with you. He is still king and I am a declared traitor of the throne. Regardless, why are you here? I know we’re friends but this seems a little sudden. So what is it?” 

Bucky sighed and looked away from Tony to gaze at one of the distant bookshelves in the room. Tony waited patiently for Bucky to collect his thoughts. Finally the man turned around to regard Tony with a very serious expression. 

“Steve would never make you choose and I respect his choice to do that but I need to know. We have had to do things that we never envisioned doing growing up to get here. To have this manor be a place we can call home when we aren’t out there destroying the King’s obsessive control over the Kingdom. People have died for this. So if the opportunity presents itself for you to be King, will you take it? It will undermine everything we have worked for and if I’m perfectly honest it’ll feel like you used us.” 

Tony couldn’t answer right away. It hadn’t even been a thought that had occurred to him despite the news of Howard’s supposed decline. His father had been abundantly clear about how he felt about Tony continuing the Stark line with Steve. He’d disowned Tony as publically as he could. There was no heir to the Stark fortune now. Howard would rather die than acknowledge Tony and his family. So to be King after Howard? It seemed like a ludicrous idea. It would never happen in this lifetime. 

“I...I don’t even think I could be King if I wanted to be. I’m pretty sure Howard has already done everything in his power to prevent me from doing so. Still if I had to make that decision it wouldn’t be something I would decide without some thought. There’s our family to consider and the baby. It’s not all up to me anymore. That’s the only thing that I know I would do for certain in that situation.” 

“Right. Okay. Just remember I’m not asking you this because I don’t trust you. I do. I just...Steve is a brother and I have to look out for him. You’re this sort of dreamy pretty Omega that came along and he’s enamored with you. So much so that I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate to give you the Kingdom if you asked for it or whatever you wanted. If you asked him to conquer a neighboring kingdom then I’m sure he would.” Bucky admitted. The older brunette looked like he had thought of this often because there was a defeated slump in the man’s posture. 

“I wouldn’t ask him for the Kingdom. If I had wanted it then I would’ve found a way to take it for myself. I want what I have here with you all. This is my life and this is how I want it to be when I have my baby.” Tony didn’t hesitate then. The thought of asking Steve for something insane like that was just not a worthwhile one. Tony didn’t need that from the blond nor did he want it. 

“Okay. I’ll leave you to it.” Bucky said and rose to leave the library. 

“Wait. I’ll walk with you. I think a lie down is in order. Sketching in this position is starting to become uncomfortable.” Tony said before Bucky could get very far. He quickly rolled up the parchment papers and tied a ribbon around the set of papers. The pens were deposited in a jeweled cup with a quiet clatter. 

“I’m entirely unsurprised Steve’s spawn is exhausting you. The man has endless energy. It would only make sense for his kid to be the same way.” Bucky teased with a soft smile that softened up his features. Tony felt like he’d managed to pass some sort of test. It was a relief. 

* * *

Tony laid in bed waiting for Steve to finish tossing aside his day’s outfit. The lightweight armoured shirt and pants hit the floor with quiet thuds. The boots another dull thud noise further away from their bed. It was unusual for the blond to be so messy with his things. What was up with his mate? 

“Steve? Is there a reason you’ve decided to make our chambers a mess?” Tony questioned with an amused glint in his warm brown eyes. The dark blue eyes that met his answered the question right away. 

“Yeah. I haven’t seen you in so long. I figured it would be okay if I didn’t care about the mess for once.” Steve practically pounced onto the bed to cover his pregnant mate with his large frame. Tony looked up with wide eyes and parted lips. 

“It’s more than okay darling. I’ve missed you too.” Tony murmured before bringing his arms up to wrap around the blond’s neck. He brought his mate closer to give him a kiss full of all the longing that had accumulated while they were apart. 

Spending time with Steve had only become harder as the Alpha gained more and more territory from Howard. It made these moments feel stolen. Like Tony had to savor them with care because asking for more felt wrong. Steve surely belonged to Tony, the bite on his neck said as much, but Steve also belonged to the people he’d promised to protect. 

“Don’t think so much. Who knows how long we have?” Steve muttered as he pulled out of Tony’s arms to trail kisses down his neck. The brunette moaned quietly and arched his neck to give Steve more access to the sensitive skin. 

“Distract me then.” 

* * *

Time went by in a flurry of stolen kisses and warm embraces. Steve had somehow caught on to Tony’s unspoken desire for more time with his Alpha. He’d delegated and tasked their pack with handling more of the work he usually did so he could be around Tony and their growing child. It was a sure sign that the ruthless warlord was a facade and not Steve’s true nature. Late nights spent alone in bed struggling to find a comfortable position to sleep in had made Tony’s mind drift in that direction more often than he wanted to admit. Still these days with their baby due any day now Tony didn’t feel that way anymore. Steve had made sure of it. 

“I think you should let me do that.” Tony said in what he could admit was a rather spoiled tone but in his defense his mate did spoil him. 

“ I don’t think I should. Our baby--”

“Steve, I’m pretty sure I would know if our baby decides to show up. I just want to go see the outer edges of our domain before it becomes impossible to leave the manor. We both know the urge to stay inside and nest is going to make me incredibly unwilling to leave anyway. So we should go which means you should let me do it.” 

“I just don’t think we should risk getting so far from home when you’re this close to having the baby.” 

“Steve its fine. I doubt our baby is going to come early. They’re doing just fine in here.” Tony said and rubbed his baby bump comfortingly. 

“Are they sweetheart?” The disbelieving look on Steve’s face made Tony looked down at himself where the blond’s eyes had become fixated. The growing puddle of wet at his feet had gone unnoticed until Steve’s gaze had drawn Tony’s eyes down. 

“Huh. Our kid just sneak attacked me into staying in the manor.” Tony muttered still more shocked than anything that his water had broken. Meanwhile Steve was already turning red and rushing to their bedroom door to call Loki to come help them in a panicked voice. 

* * *

Peter Stark Rogers was a cute little brown haired bundle with his daddy’s eyes. He cooed easily and was a relatively calm baby in the first few days. Everyone loved playing with the cuddly baby in their own way given how often Peter slept at first. Those first few days were truly easier than the new parents had expected. 

It hadn’t lasted more than a few days though before both Tony and Steve wanted to tear their hair out from exhaustion. Peter started crying easily and wanted to be held more often than not. The small baby needed constant affection. They’d quickly learned that the nursery they’d put together was going to remain empty for at least a few weeks because Peter refused to sleep in a room separate from his parents. 

The cry that woke Tony had also woken Steve. 

“I’ll grab him. Just stay in bed sweetheart.” Steve muttered and got out of their warm covers to grab their baby. Peter’s loud cries were echoing in the chamber and didn’t quiet down until Steve picked him up carefully and shushing him with soft kisses to his cheeks. The affectionate attention from his father helped calm Peter down that by the time Tony took him in his arms to nurse him the baby was only occasionally sniffling.

“We are waiting. You better not even try to knock me up anytime soon. Got it Rogers?” Tony murmured much to his Alpha’s amusement. 

“Got it Stark. I’ll keep it in my pants.” 

“Oh no don’t do that. Just...I don’t know. Don’t get me pregnant again.” Tony said while trying to make a sort of shooing motion without dislodging Peter from his nursing. 

* * *

Life was pleasant. Tony was happy with his family. Peter was growing up fast and every day was full of new antics. He’d easily been lulled into complacence because he’d forgotten about his life before Steve, Peter, and their pack. He should’ve known better than to think that things were always going to be so easy. Steve had just made it so easy to not be so concerned about things. That had been Tony’s first mistake. 

His second mistake had been to not consider all his options. Barnes had been onto something when he’d brought it up months ago. Tony hadn’t realized he should’ve planned further ahead than the birth of his child. 

Tony’s third mistake had been assuming that he no longer cared about what it meant to be a Stark. Disowned or not, the sense of duty his lineage had inspired in him hadn’t quite died. He’d lied to Bucky. He only hoped the other Omega understood where he was coming from. 

* * *

“Tony…” Steve murmured quietly from the doorway of their shared bedroom. The Pack Omega looked up from his sleeping son’s face to meet eyes with his Alpha. 

“Yes Steve? What’s wrong darling?” Tony asked and shifted Peter in his arms so he could hold out one hand to Steve. The blond strode across the room immediately to sit beside his Omega and took the outstretched hand in his. 

“Howard is dead which makes you King and our little Pete a Prince.” Steve said without further preamble and Tony raised his eyes back up from where they’d gone back to watching his sweet baby sleeping. 

“What do you mean? Like he’s actually dead? He’s the king though!” Tony said with an edge of panic. His life had finally settled into a place he was comfortable with. This was not what he wanted to hear. The responsibilities of the Royal lineage had been taken away the moment that he bonded with Steve. Howard had been extremely clear about that. 

“Sweetheart, your father is dead. I'm not entirely sure how he died. Nat and Buck are working on getting us that information as we speak but for now all we know is the King has died. Which makes you next in line for the throne. It makes Peter your heir."

"What if I don't want to be King? What then Steve? Are you going to make me be King?" Tony hissed and clutched his son closer to his chest. The fear was welling up inside Tony and while he knew the instinct to fight his own mate was irrational, he couldn't quite help himself. 

"If you don't want to be King then don't be. I would never make you do anything that you didn't want to. Making you eat more consistently while you were carrying Peter doesn't count." Steve responded immediately and Tony wanted to smile at how right he’d been months ago. He’d been right when he’d said Steve would never force him to do anything. He appreciated the blond's efforts at making him laugh. It generally would've worked at defusing some of the tension building but not this time. 

"I don't want to be king but I also know that if Howard is dead then that leaves what remains of the kingdom is vulnerable. Me not being there to immediately take his place? It gives off the wrong impression."

"So what do you want to do sweetheart?"

Tony looked from his son to his mate and then back again. He wanted to immortalize this last moment of peace. Given the plan that was forming in his mind as they spoke, this moment would probably be one of the few they'd have in their lifetime. He wanted to cherish it. 

"I'll become King and we’ll bring the people back together. We’ve fought for long enough. Together we can not only protect the Kingdom but also restore it to its former glory. The people trust you all far more than the royal guard." Tony said with a conviction he couldn't pin down. Where it had come from he couldn't say but he would be damned it he didn't take advantage of it. 

"I would be honored to join you  _ your Majesty  _ and remain by your side." Steve said with a sincere smile. 

"Save the romance for our chambers Commander. The Commander of the Royal Army can never be seen showing even the smallest amount of weakness." 

  
  



End file.
